Need proof the Oakland Raiders are seen as an up-and-coming power? The Raiders, who have the fourth-toughest strength of schedule in the NFL, will be on prime time a franchise-record five times in 2017 and again play host to an international game in Mexico City. They again plan on staying in Florida for a week to lessen the weariness of cross-country trips and back-to-back roadies on Christmas night in Philadelphia and in Los Angeles against the Chargers to end the season. This could tell the tale of what might be the Las Vegas-bound Raiders’ final season in Oakland, and whether they are true contenders or pretenders.

Week 1: Sunday, Sept. 10, at Tennessee Titans, 1 p.m. ET

This marks the third straight season the Raiders will play in Nashville after going 2-0 there the previous two seasons. Will Titans QB Marcus Mariota be back from his broken fibula? Will the Titans force the Raiders to wear their black jerseys in the Tennessee heat? Will it even matter? Record: 1-0

Week 2: Sunday, Sept. 17, vs. New York Jets, 4:05 p.m. ET

Talk about Bittersweet Bowl I. For the first time since the Raiders won the right to relocate to Las Vegas, they will play a regular-season game in the Black Hole. So how will the fans react to a lame-duck squad expected to contend for the AFC title? Things could get ugly if the Raiders get off to a slow start. They shouldn’t. Record: 2-0

Week 3: Sunday, Sept. 24, at Washington, 8:30 p.m. ET

The Raiders make their 2017 national TV debut in the nation’s capital and will see a familiar face in defensive tackle Stacy McGee, who left the Raiders in free agency. Expect an aerial battle between Washington’s Kirk Cousins and Oakland’s Derek Carr and, “You’ll like that. You’ll like that!” Record: 3-0

Week 4: Sunday, Oct. 1, at Denver Broncos, 4:25 p.m. ET

Forget that season-ending dud in Denver last year, when Carr had a broken leg and neither Matt McGloin nor Connor Cook were up to the task. The Raiders showed in Oakland last year they could run the ball down the Broncos’ throats with a legit threat under center. Paging Beast Mode? Record: 4-0

Week 5: Sunday, Oct. 8, vs. Baltimore Ravens, 4:05 p.m. ET

Shy of MLB’s Oakland A’s making an unexpected postseason run, the dirt infield will be gone this weekend as the Raiders play only their second home game in five weeks. The Raiders have won two straight against the Ravens. Make it three straight. Record: 5-0

Week 6: Sunday, Oct. 15, vs. Los Angeles Chargers, 4:25 p.m. ET

The Raiders continue their torrid start before a home crowd that is more adoring than angry, at this stage. Philip Rivers seems to always give the Raiders fits, especially in Oakland, but the Bolts, in their first season in L.A. since 1960, may actually be more distracted than the Las Vegas-bound Raiders. Record: 6-0

Week 7: Thursday, Oct. 19, vs. Kansas City Chiefs, 8:25 p.m. ET

Beef? What beef? Coaches Jack Del Rio and Andy Reid were all smiles as they shared each other’s company at dinner during the NFL owners meetings last month. That doesn’t mean they’ll like each other on a short week and on prime time. The Chiefs are simply a bad matchup for Oakland. Wonder what the Raiders will wear at home for the Color Rush tilt, Oakland’s third straight home game? Record: 6-1

Week 8: Sunday, Oct. 29, at Buffalo Bills, 1 p.m. ET

Trap game, anyone? The Raiders have won the past two meetings, though both games were in Oakland. They are 0-2 the past two times they’ve met in Buffalo. Must be the wings. Record: 6-2

Week 9: Sunday, Nov. 5, at Miami Dolphins, 8:30 p.m. ET

It is assumed the Raiders will go to Florida from Buffalo and spend the week practicing at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, as they did last year, when they went 2-0 against the Jaguars and Buccaneers. And with the bright lights awaiting them in South Florida, the Raiders awake from a two-game slumber and exact revenge on the Dolphins for being the lone team to vote against their Las Vegas move, or some such. Record: 7-2

Week 10: Sunday, Nov. 12, bye week, and in what is the new normal, the Raiders are favored over the bye.

Como se dice ‘Tuck Rule’ en Espanol? We’ll ask when we’re here for the Raiders’ second straight "home game" in Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca. Raiders fans would love nothing more than to right what once went wrong, from their perspective, by sending Tom Brady packing and starting his descent, just as the Tuck Rule gave him life ... 15 years ago. Alas, not even a green laser pointer should distract Brady against a still-finding-itself Oakland defense, which was ranked 26th in the NFL last season. Long-suffering Oakland fans deserved for this game to be played in the East Bay, alas. Record: 7-3

Week 12: Sunday, Nov. 26, vs. Denver Broncos, 4:25 p.m. ET

Von Miller is now coming after Khalil Mack for Defensive Player of the Year honors, but remember what I said earlier about the Raiders matching up well against the Broncos? It plays out especially well for Oakland at home this week. Record: 8-3

Week 13: Sunday, Dec. 3, vs. New York Giants, 4:25 p.m. ET

The Raiders would be wise to keep all their game-used equipment under lock and key, especially since this is probably the last time the Giants and QB Eli Manning ever play in Oakland. I kid. Kinda. Record: 9-3

Week 14: Sunday, Dec. 10, at Kansas City, 1 p.m. ET

Have they figured out yet if Carr’s deep pass to Amari Cooper hit the spider-cam above Arrowhead Stadium last December? Is Tyreek Hill still a blur on punt returns? Just a bad matchup for the Raiders, especially on the road. Record: 9-4

Week 15: Sunday, Dec. 17, vs. Dallas Cowboys, 8:30 p.m. ET

Talk about Bittersweet Bowl II. A potential Super Bowl preview, in what might be the final regular-season game in Oakland and in prime time? East Bay Raiders fans are rewarded for their loyalty, and with a white-knuckle win, the Raiders’ young stars eke by the Cowboys’ young stars. Record: 10-4

Week 16: Monday, Dec. 25, at Philadelphia Eagles, 8:30 p.m. ET

A (green and) white Christmas for the Raiders, and on national television? Such a high-profile intra-conference game gives credence to the notion that the Raiders are again a national brand and a team expected to make noise late in the regular season and into the postseason. Maybe Carr and Mack finally settle their foot-speed beef and race up the Rocky steps? Perhaps the elements get the win here, rather than Carr or Carson Wentz. Record: 10-5

Week 17: Sunday, Dec. 31, at Los Angeles Chargers, 4:25 p.m. ET

If Raiders fans totally took over San Diego when they visited America’s Finest City last December, imagine the crowd in another capital city of Raider Nation. And in a 27,000-seat soccer-specific stadium, to boot. This should be ... interesting. To quote Eddie Murphy’s Cameroonian exchange student in that holiday classic “Trading Places”: Merry New Year! Record: 11-5

I realize until after the draft they draft a couple dt's, IML, cb, rb, OT, its to early to make a prediction